Signs of the massive economic depression: Men not ordering extra rice, women wearing skimpier clothing (perhaps to get more free drinks?), and Sony releasing a camera for less then 10,000 Pesos.[firstpara] We got you with that last one, didn’t we? Sony has always positioned itself as a luxury brand, the price tag being one of the primary indicators.

So when this affordable, entry-level offering from Sony, the DSC-W310 arrived, we were pleased. More so, we were excited to see what Sony could offer at this price point.

Looks-wise, this is a little less flashy compared to other Sony cameras, unsurprisingly. But that’s not to say that it looks cheap, because The DSC-W310’s build and brushed aluminum finish does make it look solid, and worthy enough of being called a Sony.

For some, the camera’s plain rectangular design and lack of eye-catching details might be a turn-off, but make no mistake about it, the camera does feel right in the hands, and has proper heft and ergonomics.

As for performance, this 12-megapixel shooter shoots pretty decent images, but only when there is ample lighting.

Under bad lighting or in high contrast scenes, pictures tend to be dark and saturated and grainy. If you want great photos, use this is a camera only in optimal conditions. Otherwise, you will be disappointed.

At 9,999 Pesos, this Sony is cheap, but the photos aren’t up to par with what other cameras are capable of in this price range. As techie.com.ph puts it, the DSC-W310 is still just another Sony, after all.

To make matters worse, the camera is sluggish in displaying images, and shutter time. The flash takes a while to recharge too.

Overall, it is hard to endear oneself to a camera that doesn’t perform as solid as it looks. And unless you are a Sony fanatic that you need to get every single Sony release, we suggest you look elsewhere for an entry level point-and-shoot camera.